North America

In the coming years and decades, transport will be faced with more uncertainty than at any time in recent history. The theme of policy and planning in a highly uncertain future will be central to any research agenda. While not unique to North America, this focus includes emerging technology, new mobility, demographic change and the complementary or competing roles of the public and private sectors. Questions surrounding digital connectivity and big data, spatial proximity and physical mobility will be central to these themes, as will new approaches to governance and sustainable funding for transit infrastructure and operations that are specific to North America. The emergence of new actors, the changing role of government and increasing importance of the land use-transport relationship deserve attention, along with the application of fuels and energy systems. Government policy regulating the deployment of autonomous vehicles, technology and big data will be key in shaping a future of connected, autonomous, shared and electric (CASE) mobility – a critical mechanism for reducing emissions, achieving climate commitments and optimizing public transit investments. As such, effective transport policy will increasingly depend on better integration across an ever-expanding set of policy arenas, with rapid technological change compounding the already significant challenges in integrating transport and land use policies.